Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-09-09
sslerf Rsabing.
BEE VERSUS BUTTERFLY.

.. VI INV Lllt hlASiRh
with heavy, monogrammed envelope
held carefully in one corner Of the
blue checked apron, and maze of
wonder aud delight irradisting her
rosy face.
Her pretty stepdaughter stood at a
white pine table, stamping little gold
en- pats Of butter with the initial .G.
"Who do you think this letters
from, Nell :-Lucian Lisle your fathers
second cousin said Mrs Graham.
answering her own question, with u
delighted chuckle. "lIe's coming ont
10 see some OF bis coal lands near US.
sod he wants to know If I'll take him
beard
take him il you think best. moth
er, said Nell, inspecting her last g
with her carly. golden head tritie on
one side. Our peaches aud grapes
are fit for a king aud although you
have u touch oil your rheumatism
xgain. why, I'm strong aud love to
AA.'
Wors ,i,at just a that you ntsstn';
do said Mrs. Graham. .xcitedly.-
"lou know Sally Bean was in Boston
last winter and she's been telling me all
abont Luclsn Lisle. She says he's as
rich as Cr9sus. aud young and hand
some besides, all the girls in Boston
are setting their caps for him. Nos,
| want YOU 10 show him that You re
as good as any those Boston girls, If
We are poor; SO you must do nothing
bat look pretty and play the piano
aud paint, aud act IS If you could mt
milk COW 10 save your life.
so you want me TO let you do all
the work when you are half sick, and
recommend myself 10 Mr.. Lisle's ap.
proval in PLAYING the part Of heart
less butterfly SAID Nell. her cheeks
flushing with indignant pink.
Now, don't take it that away Nell
pleaded her stepmother. wrInglng her
plump hands in feeble protest. i
shan't safer from overwork. III get
Gretchen kurtz to help me with the
housewors. and Tom Murphy can
see to the peaches and Craps
Il cannot consent. said Nell, ieci.
dediy.
But Mrs. Graham sunk into the
nearest chair. and sobbed and walled,
till Nell, who loved the rosy little
matron dearly, for the sake OF sweet
peace withdrew her refusal.
And, Nell said Mrs. Graham.
starting up as brightly rs a crimson
poppy after the rain, .be sure don't
90 on about the beauty of the prairies,
as you have way OF doing. Mr..
Lisle has been to Europe and Cali
fornia, and every where, and of course
he won't think the prairies any great
shakes
Some fourteen years before. Mr..
Graham, who had lost his fortune in
the East, came to retrieve it in the
West
But his lovely little wife, Nsllie's
blue eyed prototype, was seized with
maiarlai fever, which scorched the
life out of her, US the sun scorched
lily.
Mr.. Graham hcart- broken and dis
courag d. was taken i'll with the same
fever; but, thanks to the patient care
of his landlady and her daughter, he
recovered.
In his Loneliness and gratitude,
what was more natural than to marry
the daughter, who, although beneath
him III station, was rretty, kind
hearted girl, and had received fair
education at the public school.
She made him good wife and his
little pink and white blossom of a
daughter good mother: and thanks
to an uncle, who had bequeathed her
a fourlshing little fruit farm, they
were making fair start in life, when
Mr.. Graham died Of sun stroke.
Mrs Graham took up the burden
Of life and strained every nerve to give
her dainty little stepdaughter a suita,
BILE education.
But her amazement and sorrow
were great when Nell, after gradual
ing with high honor and bearing off
the first prize In music, declared her
intention OF taking the burden Of
overseeing the fruit farm upon her
own young shoulders.
You worked for me, mother, now |
am going to work for you,' she decIar-
ed, resolutely. Besides, | believe
have talent for farming, and should
like it ever so much better than try
ing to grind a little music into the
souls and fingers of children who
haven't the least natural capacity for
| it,